ALCS – Game #1

10/8 - Tiger Stadium
White Sox 5, Tigers 3

The upstart Pale Hose headed into Motown riding high from knocking off the best team in the league in an action packed close to the vest series.  The Tigers had an even tougher road getting here thanks to Tampa Bay taking them to the brink in a 5 game series for the ages.  That aforementioned series not only tested he mettle and resolve of the Tigers it also played havoc on their pitching staff and rotational order.  Chicago would trust this important road opener to their ace, Joe Horlen (7-2, 2.86).  Detroit would go with their top dog Brian Moehler (6-5, 3.57).  After Chicago went weakly in the top of the 1st the Tigers immediately flexed their muscles.  After Damion Easley narrowly missed a homer to right, Tony Clark doubled in virtually the same spot.  Bobby Higginson would then go one better by crushing a 2-0 offering that hit the overhang in right center field to make it 2-0 Detroit.  That 2-0 lead would be short lived, because the Chisox struck back in the top half of the next inning.  Tommy McCraw led the inning off with a clean single to right.  After Ken Berry flew out to right Pete Ward walked.  Catcher Duane Josephson doubled to the opposite field  to score McCraw with 1 out.  DH Leon Wagner lined a single to center to score Ward and knot the game up at 2.  After a scoreless 3rd inning the Chisox took the lead with two rare long balls in the 4th.  McCraw led the inning off with a mammoth shot to the deepest part of the ball park (dead center) and two batters later Pete Ward lined one inside the foul poll on the right field line.  Not much offense occurred from the bottom of the 4th on.  Horlen would leave the game after 7 innings, with the final 6 being of the shut out variety.  Detroit  would make it a 1 run game in the 8th when Joe Randa led off the inning with a homer off of reliever Bob Locker.  Doug Bochtler would start the top of the 9th needing to get 3 quick outs in order to keep his team within 1 run.  Josephson greeted him rudely with a triple off the flag pole in dead center.  For a catcher to get a triple you know the ball had to have been hit far.  A wild pitch while Leon Wagner was at bat would allow Josephson to easily trot home with the much coveted insurance run.  Wilbur Wood would start the home half of the 9th trying to protect a 2 run lead.  With 1 out Wood's knuckler could not find  the strike zone and Jeff Manto would easily walk on 4 pitches.  After Luis Gonzalez flew out to shallow right for out number 2 pinch hitter Juan Encarnacion lined a single to center.  That would be all for Wood.  It was time for HOF'er Hoyt Wilhelm to save the day.  On the 5th pitch of his at bat, Joe Randa hit a bullet back to Wilhelm, who scooped it up on one hop and fired to McCraw at first to end the game in favor of the Pale Hose.
Chicago leads the series 1-0